The Other Side of Me
by TheYaoiMuffin
Summary: A Bleach songfic. Ichigo has just arrived home and doesn't feel like doing anything so he decides to sleep early. When he wakes up, he finds himself in the presence of probably the only person he truly fears : his other side, Hichigo.


**Author's Note** : This is my first story here on fanfiction. I'm not one of those brilliant writers like J.K Rowling and others but I don't think I'm bad, honestly. Well see for yourself Please R&R this. It would make me sooo happy!!

The song used is called Downfall by Trust Company.

**Disclaimer** : I don't own Bleach. Tite Kubo does though…lucky man.

**The Other Side of Me**

"I'm home!" yelled Ichigo Kurosaki as he slammed the front door behind him a bit too hard.

It was 6pm, and the sun was setting slowly making the sky coloured with different shades of orange. Ichigo was just back from killing another hollow which had been detected by him and Rukia Kuchiki just after school had finished.

«begin flashback»

Rukia had changed him into Soul Reaper mode with that Skull Glove of hers, and with Zangetsu wrapped up securely on his back, made their way to the spot where the hollow had been at that moment. They had found it in the football pitch of Karakura Town, terrorising a group of poor kids who had been yelling like crazy and running around in circles trying to get past the invisible ghost that was blocking their path. Rukia had immediately rushed to their side, to take them out of harm's way while Ichigo had sprinted towards the hollow and with just one clean swipe from Zangetsu, the hideous creature was gone.

"Good job Ichigo" had shouted Rukia whilst she had been replacing the children's memories of the recent event with fake ones, using her Memory Chikan.

The kids then had rushed back home talking loudly about how well they had beaten up some other kids that had come to steal their footballs.

"Yeah yeah it was easy" he had answered back. "Let's get going now Rukia, I'm hungry!"

Silently they had made their way back to Ichigo's house, not speaking once to each other.

«end flashback»

"Welcome home Ichigo!" came Yuzu's sweet voice as she took his school bag and hung it next to the door. "Come on, dinner's been ready for quite a while now" she said as she began walking towards the kitchen.

Ichigo walked behind Yuzu, still in his school uniform and just as he walked through the kitchen door, Isshin Kurosaki sprang out at him from nowhere, and attempted to drive a kick into his face, but Ichigo's reflexes were greatly improved and with extreme ease he avoided Isshin's kick and instead **his **foot made contact with his father's back, sending him crashing onto the floor with his ass up in the air.

"Beat you again dad" said Ichigo. He clearly said the same phrase everyday.

"Just luck…again" groaned Isshin.

At that point, Karin got up from the kitchen table and started stamping her father's head with her foot.

"You're…too old…for this…dad!" she said in between stamps. "Stop…playing the…fool…and act…seriously…for once!!"

Ichigo sighed and made his way to the table to eat his by now surely cold food.

When he finished his dinner, Ichigo got up from the table and asked for some food to take with him upstairs as he usually did so that Rukia would get something too eat as well.

When he opened the door that led into his room, he was surprised to see Rukia packing some clothes and other stuff (including a Chappie the Rabbit plush toy) in a small bag set on his bed.

"What's up with you Rukia?" asked Ichigo curiously.

"Oh hi Ichigo! I'm going to Orihime's to spend the night. Sorry if I didn't tell you earlier" she answered as she slung the small bag onto her shoulders.

"OK have fun then" he replied.

Rukia just smiled at him. As she was going to jump out of his bedroom window, Ichigo realised something was missing in the room.

"Hey where the hell is Kon?" he inquired.

"Oh your sister took him and dressed him in that Marie Antoinette outfit Uryu had made for him. He's probably in her room right now. Bye." And with that said, she jumped out onto the street.

Ighigo didn't register what she had said at once, but after a second he finally understood what she had been talking about and sniggered at the thought of that blasted plush toy in that ridiculous dress.

"Good, I'll have some peace finally" he said to himself.

Ichigo didn't feel like doing any hw that evening, He knew that he would be scolded heavily by his teachers the next day but what the fuck did he care anyway. Maybe he'd ask Orihime to help him out, no problem.

Since he had nothing to do, he decided to take a quick shower to take off any dirt and sweat accumulated during the day.

Fifteen minutes later, he came out all wet with only a small white towel wrapped around his…intimate parts and also one on his head with which he was shaking his spiky, orange hair dry.

When he was sure that he was all dry, Ichigo slumped onto his bed and reached for his blue pyjama shorts which were neatly lying there. He took off the towel and pulled on the shorts.

After he had a drink of water and turned off the lights, he got into the bed, pulled up the covers reaching till his chest and put his arms behind his head. Since he wasn't very sleepy, he looked out of the window and listened to what was happening out in the street. It was dark now and there were already the first stars of the night in the pitch black sky. There were the usual urban noises reaching Ichigo's ears from outside; cars as they went past at a high speed, people walking and talking on the pavement and occasionally some drunken men singing at the top of their lungs.

Ichigo was bored of everyday life. No battles, no rescuing people…no action at all! Since he had met Rukia and started his adventures as a substitute Soul Reaper, he had become suddenly really bored of all that would be considered normal things by most people.

Suddenly a soft fluttering of wings caught Ichigo's attention. His eyes wandered again to the open window on his right and there he saw a couple of black butterflies flying around the artificial lights outside. He recognised them as Oak Leaf Butterflies. He had read about them just that morning during his Biology class. He stared at them more intently and realised that they were extremely similar to the Hell Butterflies of Soul Society. These were the messengers that carried news to any member of the 13 Court Guard Squads, often when there was something really urgent going on there.

Soul Society…he remembered the place perfectly well. How could he not? All the trouble he and his friends had passed through to save Rukia? Unforgettable! The fights against Ikkaku, Renji, Kenpachi Zaraki and Byakuya Kuchiki, the training with Yoruichi and Zangetsu to achieve Bankai. He had gained so much experience from them all and sometimes he could almost feel the pain inflicted by the tons of sword wounds he had received.

Probably the worst had been the battle against Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia's brother. It was the toughest fight he had ever got into till now and he had fought many! Kuchiki's sword, Senbonzakura, all that blood, the fact that Rukia would be executed if he had lost had terrified Ichigo back then but the worst thing of all had been when Ichigo's inner hollow had manifested himself through the hollow mask and had taken control on his actions. He still had nightmares about it all.

He would dream about the first time that he had met Hichigo, as the spiky-haired hollow insisted to be called. He had been exactly indentical to him : physical features, attire and even his cockiness! The only difference had been that he was all white. But one look at him and it would be obvious that he was nothing else like Ichigo. He was just pure evil. Evil Albino Me had been the first thought that had crossed Ichigo's mind when he had met him. In simple words, Hichigo made Ichigo chill to the bone…he was the only thing that scared him.

'_Fear in me so deep it gets the best of me…'_

With so many thoughts floating in Ichigo's mind, he finally fell into a deep slumber. He didn't even notice that one of the butterflies from outside his window, had entered his room and was now serenely perched on top of his nose.

"Ichigo…wake up Ichigo…come on wake up…your highness" spoke a silky voice in Ichigo's ear.

Ichigo was asleep, dreaming of Rukia being attacked by hundreds of Chappie the Rabbit plush toys. But at the words 'your highness', his brain re-activated itself and he stood up immediately. He knew only one person that would call him 'your highness'. Then the same voice spoke again.

"Hi there Ichigo, long time no see isn't it not?"

Ichigo recognised at once that voice even though there was no one in sight. He backed up against a nearby wall trying to get away from the voice but suddenly a white face appeared in front of him, upside down, bright orange eyes staring hungrily into his own and Hichigo, Ichigo's worst nightmare spoke once again.

"Are you afraid of me Ichigo?" he sneered.

'_In the fear I fall, here it comes face to face with me…'_

Hichigo's face was nearly touching Ichigo's from their proximity and Ichigo shuddered at the thought of what the hollow might do. He plucked up his courage and spoke back to him.

"What? N…no way I'm afraid of you, you f…fucking hollow! N…now back off of me!" he ordered trying to sound like his usual self.

Hichigo surprisingly obeyed but still had a smirk plastered on his pale face as if he knew that Ichigo was not feeling at all comfortable in his presence.

"Hichigo" said the hollow.

"What?" inquired Ichigo confused.

"I already told you once that you have to call me Hichigo…always!"

"Fine, don't make such a fuss about it" replied Ichigo slowly slipping back into his usual rude self.

Hichigo remained silent which was something new for him.

"So what made you come back here, to your kingdom?" Missed me perhaps?" mocked Hichigo.

"My kingdom?" repeated Ichigo, completely dumbfounded.

Only in that moment he realised were he was. It was the world where he had first met Zangetsu and Hichigo too. That blue, upside down world…the world which was inside of him.

Ichigo caught Hichigo staring intently at him and suddenly remembered his previous question.

"No way I could ever miss **you**, you freak!" he practically shouted emphasizing on the word freak.

He crossed his arms and it was then that he became aware that he was no longer wearing only a pair of shorts. He looked down at himself and realised that we was wearing his soul reaper uniform once again.

He looked back at Hichigo and saw that he too was wearing the same soul reaper uniform except that his were completely white; the reverse of his.

"I will ask again Ichigo, why are you here?"

Ichigo had no answer to give. The truth was that he didn't have any idea how or why he ended up here.

"You came to seek battle or perhaps you want me to take your place as king? Either way I would be pleased to help you decide."

At that moment, he extended his right arm, with an evil smile playing on his lips and out of nowhere, a white Zangetsu in it's Shikai form landed next to him, the tip cracking the hard, blue floor. Hichigo pulled out that Zangetsu by it's clothed handle and pointed it towards Ichigo with one arm.

"Call Zangetsu" he demanded.

Ichigo had only then just realised what was happening. Hichigo had just challenged him to battle one another. He didn't really want to fight the hollow; he was still scared of him but on the other hand he would die if he continued to act like a terrified little girl.

'_Here I stand hold back so no one can see,_

_I feel these wounds, step down, step down.' _

"Zangetsu!" shouted Ichigo in his mind.

He closed his eyes and a second later he heard another heavy _thud, _as the real Zangetsu fell next to him. Ichigo did the same as Hichigo; he picked up his zanpakuto by it's clothed handle and pointed it but with both arms at the white hollow.

"I am ready!" he announced.

Hichigo smirked evilly.

"Let's begin then, your Highness!"

'_(am I) Breaking down_

_Can I break away,_

_Push me away, make me fall_

_Just to see, another side of me,_

_Push me away, you can see,_

_What I see, the other side of me.' _

Both Ichigo and Hichigo stood facing each other impassively, swords raised, while huge amounts of spiritual energy flowed out of them, slightly blurring them.

Hichigo was the first to flash step. In the blink of an eye he was in front of Ichigo, banging his fake Zangetsu against the real one. Ichigo quickly stepped back and tried to find an opening in between Hichigo's strikes to cut him, just as Mr Hat and Clogs had taught him how but the albino hollow seemed to have read his mind because the next second he had jumped backwards and was swirling the white Zangetsu in the air, before flinging it by it's long cloth at him with great speed.

Ichigo managed to avoid most of Hichigo's attacks but unfortunately, one of them made it's way in his left arm and another in the left leg, each making nasty, deep cuts but not fatal.

He fell to his knees while crimson blood spilled from his wounds onto the shining floor, making a big red puddle at his feet.

"You can't possibly hope to win against me Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm your other side, the stronger side" mocked Hichigo laughing maniacally.

Ichigo tried to stand up, but stumbled on his way so he had to use Zangetsu as a support.

"We'll see about that you bastard! I'll kick your sorry ass all the way to Hueco Mundo this instant!"

Hichigo only laughed again, making Ichigo even angrier.

"Bankai!" he yelled, as he stood up straight, eyes shining with hatred for the hollow, Hichigo.

'_Fall back on me, and I'll be the strength I need,_

_To save me now, just come face to face with me,_

_Stay in place you'll be the first to see, me heal these wounds,_

_Step down, step down, down.'_

An incredible amount of spiritual energy leaked out of Ichigo, startling even Hichigo for a short second.

This was the second time that Ichigo was using Bankai, the first time being against Byakuya Kuchiki.

His zanpakuto had changed. It was no longer an oversized sword, but a thin, long black one. Instead of the cloth wrapped around the hilt there was now a short chain with a broken link. This was Tensa Zangetsu.

Even his clothes had changed along with Zangetsu. His soul reaper uniform was replaced by a long-sleeved, ankle-length coat, closed the his chest and with white lining.

Surprisingly Ichigo's wounds were all perfectly healed which was probably thanks to Bankai.

When he turned to face Hichigo once again, the spiky haired hollow did nothing except starting to laugh wildly…again. Ichigo's temper was slowly reaching boiling point. He hated people laughing at him, worse if it was a hollow doing so.

"What the hell is your problem" asked Ichigo angrily. "What's so funny about me, huh?"

The hollow's laughter finally died down to low chuckles and he stuck out his long, blue tongue at Ichigo in a childish manner.

"You fool" he said. "Don't you remember that if you use Bankai…then I can too?"

Ichigo was horror struck. He had completely forgotten about the hollow being able to obtain any new power that he himself would gain. His short moment of superiority ended when Hichigo's spiritual energy burst forth all of a sudden and his fake zanpakuto changed form along with his clothes, again the reverse of his : white ones with black lining.

'_I'm not breaking, down_

_Can I break away_

_Push me away, make me fall,_

_Just to see another side of me,_

_Push me away you can see_

_What I see, the other side of me.'_

Again, they stood tall and proud in front of each other, brown eyes staring into orange ones and vice versa, waiting for the appropriate moment to restart their previous battle. Each was waiting for the other to move first but neither of them was apparently going to do so.

Ichigo finally lost his patience, and acting rashly as always ran towards Hichigo, Tensa Zangetsu raised to strike him down.

'_Go!'_

But the hollow had expected this, and just as Ichigo swung his zanpakuto at him, aiming for his chest he flash stepped instantly and re-appeared behind the soul reaper. He was going to drive his sword in Ichigo's stomach but instead of meeting flesh, he met the long blade of Tensa Zangetsu.

"Oh good reflexes Ichigo!" said the hollow, whilst both of them were trying to push each other backwards with their swords.

"Fuck you!" was all Ichigo answered, and taking Hichigo by surprise he managed to get his Tensa Zangetsu under the hollow's fake one and throwing it out of his hands.

The sword landed far away, nearly out of their eyesight. Hichigo just smirked widely as if he had just lost a shoe instead of his only weapon; his only means of defence and attack.

"You have made much improvement in your fighting skills since last time you know?" he stated.

Ichigo was getting really annoyed with Hichigo's attitude.

"What the hell is wrong with you, you fucking weirdo? Haven't you noticed that you've just lost your zanpakuto?" he bellowed.

Hichigo didn't seem to understand that Ichigo was swearing at him; he just kept smirking but a second later he said slowly:

"But you see, I don't need a zanpakuto at all times. I can also use…this!"

Blood spluttered out of Ichigo's mouth and almost instantly, he could feel pain throughout his whole body. Probably he had some broken bones. He saw blood trickling down his mouth and staining his coat and knew he had just been hit by the spiky haired hollow but could not understand how. Hichigo's zanpakuto was nowhere to be seen, so how could he have wounded him this badly?

He looked down towards the floor, but instead of seeing blue he saw white. Hichigo was in a kneeling like position with his fist pressed hard against his stomach. Now he understood. The hollow had simply used his arm to hit him! He would never had expected such super human strength from Hichigo. And he didn't even see the attack! Could this hollow really have become so much stronger then Ichigo himself?

"Liked the surprise Ichigo?" sneered the white hollow. "I can attack even without a sword and still cause the same amount of damage a sword can, pretty cool huh?"

"Bastard" spat Ichigo, as he stood up and wiped a trickle of blood from his chin.

'_Fall, can I break away_

_Push me away, make me fall,_

_Just to see another side of me,_

_Push me away you can see,_

_What I see, the other side of me.'_

The soul reaper rushed towards the hollow, yelling at the top of his voice, this time aiming at every part of his body he could, since the monster had no heart to drive his zanpakuto in.

But Hichigo quickly flash stepped out of Ichigo's way in order to retrieve his white Tensa Zangetsu. As Hichigo bent down to pick up the sword, Ichigo flash stepped directly in front of him, and without a moment's hesitation, stabbed the hollow directly into where his heart would have been if he had one.

He had expected to see blue blood flowing out of the white hollow, but instead he saw red on Hichigo's face alongside a big maniacal grin.

"Wait a minute, red?" thought Ichigo. "How in the hell did he get red blood if…"

He then realised what had happened before he finished thinking about it. Hichigo had stabbed **him **with his zanpakuto! He looked down at his chest. Yes, there was a deep wound there but no white Tensa Zangetsu! He looked towards the floor and it lay there, all white and perfectly clean. He couldn't understand.

Then he looked at Hichigo and saw that **his** Tensa Zangetsu, the real one was driven deep into the hollow's flesh but no blood stained his clothes!

Hichigo was now laughing in a crazy sort of way. Without Ichigo even asking, he started to explain what this mess was all about. He apparently knew exactly what had happened.

"Don't you remember Ichigo, I told you I'm your other side, the stronger side. If you try to hurt me you will only end up hurting yourself!"

Ichigo couldn't utter a single word either by surprise or by the continually increasing pain. He couldn't which.

"Oh don't worry!" Hichigo added. "You won't die, otherwise I would die too and we really don't want that to happen do we now?" he said whilst licking Ichigo's blood off of his face with his blue tongue.

A new wave of pain suddenly washed over his body, the greatest one till now and he fell onto the floor, his legs no longer being able to support him. He fell over a puddle of his own blood, his face completely covered with it.

'_No one can see anything on the other side of me_

_I walk, I crawl, loosing everything and waiting for downfall_

_No one can see everything on the other side of me_

_I walk, I crawl, loosing everything on the downfall._

_Downfall, Fall.'_

Hichigo placed a foot on top of Ichigo's head, making it even dirtier with blood. He was grinning wildly, clearly enjoying what he was doing.

"Well goodbye then Ichigo…for now" he said trying to sound sad. "Hope you will look better next time we meet."

Then he lowered himself down onto the blue floor, now red with the soul reaper's blood, and whispered nearly inaudibly into Ichigo's ear :

"Long Live the King."

And Ichigo saw no more.

Ichigo woke up with a start, sweating all over. He was back in his bed, in his room, in his world. The sun was already high up in the sky and sunshine was entering through his window, lightening the entire room.

He sighed in relief when he realised that the encounter with his inner hollow, Hichigo had been just a horrible nightmare.

At that moment, Rukia appeared in his window, apparently just back from Orihime's house since her hair was still tied back in pigtails and she was wearing one of his sister's pyjamas.

"Hi Ichigo!" she said in a cheerful, sing-song voice, quite unlike hers unless she was acting.

"Hey" he answered back. "How was it at Orihime's place?"

"Very enjoyable" she replied shortly. She looked him in the face sensing that Ichigo wasn't his usual self today.

"Are you alright?" she inquired in a worried tone. "You look really down you know that?"

"Oh yeah, just…uh…didn't sleep much."

Rukia didn't answer. "Well, come on then or we'll be late for school" she said. "I came back here instead of going straight to school 'cause I knew you would wake up late without me as your alarm clock."

"Just shut up" he said, and threw a pillow at her face.

As they made their way to school, Ichigo was unusually quiet. Rukia was worried about him but she didn't want to pester him with question so she left him alone.

Ichigo was thinking again about the previous night's dream. It was so real and he sort of like really felt the pain inflicted by the numerous sword wounds.

He decided that after school, he would go to pay a visit to Mr Hat and Clogs at the Urahara Shop. Maybe he could help him out or something. It was the least he could do, since it was entirely his fault he now had Hichigo as a new enemy to deal with in his life. He owed him one enormous favour. Maybe he would ask for some more special training. Anything would do unless he was going to get killed in the process.

Ichigo knew that soon he was going to meet the hollow Hichigo face to face again. He needed to prepare, to train more…to become stronger then ever. When the day of their meeting would arrive, **he** would be the winner, the stronger side.

THE END

**Author's Note** : Yay I've finished this story! I loved writing it. I listened to the song about 30 times throughout this last week and a half lol.

So what do you think about it? Pls R&R.

Well until next time then! If there will be…yeah there will be


End file.
